The present invention relates to a control device of a communication system of an aircraft, notably a transport airplane. In the context of the present invention, a communication system is understood to be a set of standard communication equipment items, making it possible to implement and control audio communications on board the aircraft. These audio communications are, in particular, all those that the pilots of the aircraft can have, notably with air traffic control (via VHF channels or HF channels for example), with the airlines (via VHF channels or even a channel corresponding to a telephone link, for example over the “SATCOM” network), with the crew in the passenger cabin of the aircraft (via a channel corresponding to a cabin intercom), with the passengers (via a channel corresponding to a public address link, between pilots (via a cockpit intercommunication channel), etc.
To control such a communication system (that is to say all the communication equipment items), the pilots generally use a standard device of ACP (Audio Control Panel) type. The device of ACP type comprises a set of buttons for each communication channel of the controlled communication system. This set of buttons includes a button for setting sound volume (generally a rotary knob), a listening button making it possible to select or deselect listening to the corresponding communication channel and a transmission button making it possible to select or deselect the corresponding communication channel for transmission. This device of ACP type makes it possible to mix several communication channels in reception: radio communication (VHF, HF, etc.), SATCOM telephone link, cabin intercom, etc. This mixing enables pilots to listen simultaneously to several channels, with the possibility of setting the sound volume of each of the channels by means of buttons for setting sound volume of the device of ACP type. The ACP device further allows a user, such as a pilot, to select a channel for transmission (one channel at a time).
The device of ACP type also allows the pilot to receive calls, in particular from a communication channel corresponding to a SATCOM telephone link, to the cabin intercom or to an intercom provided for a mechanic when the airplane is on the ground. For that, when a call is received over a communication channel, the device of ACP type signals this call, for example by displaying a “CALL” indication alongside a button corresponding to this communication channel and by activating a sound signal. The pilot can answer this call by actuating the transmission button corresponding to the communication channel concerned.
In addition to the device of ACP type, the pilot usually has a frequency setting device of RMP (Radio Management Panel) type, of RCP (Radio Control Panel) type or of RTP (Radio Tuning Panel) type, for setting the radio frequencies of VHF and HF radio communication channels. He or she can also manually select or set telephone numbers, via the SATCOM system for example, generally from a page that can be displayed on a device of MCDU (Multipurpose Control and Display Unit) type, or even from the frequency setting device.
The document FR2.821.468A1 describes a control device of a communication system incorporating the functionalities of a device of ACP type, of a device of RMP (or RCP or RTP) type, as well as telephone number selection or setting.
The device of ACP type, whether independent or incorporated in a control device such as that described in the document FR2.821.468A1, comprises a set of buttons for each communication channel of the communication system controlled, as indicated previously. In order to reduce the bulk, the weight and the cost of the buttons, it could be advantageous to provide a number of sets of buttons less than the number of communication channels of the communication system, these sets of buttons being able to be configured by the pilot to associate them with the different communication channels of the communication system. Thus, at a given instant, the pilot can use these sets of buttons to control the communication channels with which they are associated. If he or she has to control another communication channel, he or she can reconfigure a set of buttons to associate it with this communication channel. However, in the case where a call is received over a communication channel with which a set of buttons is not associated, the pilot cannot answer this call.